#MyMBAStory – How the diversity of my cohort changed my mindset

For Scott, doing a Global MBA was a truly transformational experience thanks to the intensive curriculum but most importantly due to his multicultural and diverse cohort. Read his #MBAStory to find out how his MBA experience has helped him

From England, via the US, Ireland and France to Germany, Scott’s career journey is truly international. Following the completion of his MBA in 2018, he is currently working in Berlin as Head of Customer Success at Yara International. Yara is the world’s leading fertilizer company and a provider of environmental solutions

He chose EDHEC for its intensive 10-month Global MBA programme, its triple accreditation, strong alumni network, and diversity of the class and faculty. Looking back on the experience, Scott firmly believes that “working, collaborating and sharing the journey day in, day out, with people from all different backgrounds and cultures” helped him see the world in a different way and changed his perspective on leadership and management – something which has proved invaluable in his international career post-MBA.

I was looking for an international MBA which would fit my goals and my timeline

As Scott already had an impressive international profile, he was looking for a programme which would help him further his business knowledge and global perspective, but he also wanted a programme which was under a year as he didn’t want to take too much of a career break.  For him, it was also important that the school had a solid reputation and above all, he was looking to join a programme that had a more experienced and varied cohort to be able to learn and share knowledge with each other.

After researching many options in Europe, Scott decided to choose EDHEC’s triple-accredited and top-ranked 10-month Global MBA Programme as not only did it meet his needs in terms of shorter duration and reputation but it also had one of the most international programmes and experienced, diverse cohorts available. Typically, there are around 30 different nationalities in a class of 65. Scotts cohort, for example, included over 35 nationalities with around 8 years’ experience. So it was an ideal fit for him.

“The more I learnt about the programme, the school and the class profile, the more I realised that it was going to be an exciting journey for me. Although the programme is intense, it packs in so much experiential learning and focus on personal development and being able to lead in multi-cultural, increasingly disruptive setting”.

There are many highlights for Scott, including the specialisation track and business trip – he chose the Digital Innovation Track which is in partnership with IBM. For Scott, the most valuable and surprising aspect of the MBA was just how much of a positive impact his diverse cohort had on changing his mindset, exposing him to new viewpoints and challenging his perspectives.

Learning from diversity – an invaluable experience for my career

From day one of the MBA programme, Scott found himself working with fellow participants from so many different backgrounds, regions and professions, each with a very different experience and skill-set to his own.

“My background is in customer services for tech companies, my degree is in Cognitive Science, so not business-related. I was the only one with that profile in my cohort, in fact one of the things I found most enjoyable and rewarding about my time at EDHEC was that everyone had a different background, a different viewpoint, there was no typical profile. I worked with people from backgrounds in consulting, law, entrepreneurial, healthcare and marketing. My classmates came from every continent in the world, for some it was their first time in Europe, for many it was their first time in France. So you learn from each other, you share your experiences. And it changes your mindset and your viewpoint.

The experience made me a much stronger leader and team player and it helps me now in terms of encouraging collaboration, fostering a positive environment and generally being able to manage conflict and find solutions. You learn so much about group dynamics, communication and how to be able to work in a multi-cultural and diverse environment.”

Scott recalls one particular moment early in the MBA programme, during a class focused on cultural diversity…

“The professor asked if anyone knew the term "the bees’ knees".  It’s a very common phrase in England. I was convinced everyone knew this expression! Turns out this is not the case! Even though all of us spoke English all day, every day, and obviously knew the word bee and knee, not everyone knew this expression. This, for me, was a real eye opener. It’s not just because you speak the same language, that you can assume everyone understands you or you them! “

(F.Y.I it means the height of excellence; in case you were wondering!).

While economics, finance and marketing subjects complemented Scott’s previous business experience perfectly, intercultural exposure and diversity was what Scott benefitted most from, even though he had lived and worked abroad before. This mindset shift still serves him daily.

Today he leads a global team with many different nationalities and backgrounds. Thanks to his Global MBA experience that incorporated not only leadership and personal development, but most importantly intensive cooperation with a truly diverse cohort, he can now lead and coach his team with ease and enjoys learning with and from his international colleagues.

To him, this is what made the EDHEC Global MBA programme stand out: “My MBA gave me a true mindset shift and an incredible experience. This isn’t something you can read about and learn, it’s something you have to live.”

Are you ready to take the next step on your career ladder? Contact us to find out how a Global MBA can help you reach your career goals and whether the EDHEC Global MBA is the right one for you.